1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to modular electrical connectors used to interconnect printed circuitboards, and particularly to such electrical connectors assembled from wafers.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Electrical connectors are used in many electronic systems. It is generally easier to manufacture a system from several printed circuit boards which are joined together with electrical connectors. A traditional arrangement for joining several printed circuit boards is to have one printed circuit board as a backplane. Other printed circuit boards, called daughter boards, are connected to each other through the backplane.
A traditional backplane is a printed circuit board with many connectors. The traditional electrical connector for use with printed circuit boards is high speed, high density. The connector is configured by a plurality of wafers with a plurality of signal contacts formed therethrough and a shielding plate arranged between wafers. Apparently, arranging a first shielding between two wafers is disclosed and known to the skill in the art, however, how to provide a second shielding between two adjacent pair of signal contacts within the same wafer is not disclosed. Examples of electrical connectors with similar structures are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,860,816, 5,980,321, and 5,993,259.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
The object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector capable of providing an effective shielding between two adjacent pair of signal contacts.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a connector in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of wafers and shielding plates. Each wafer includes an insulative housing and a plurality of contact elements extending through the housing. The wafer includes two side surfaces with slots formed therethrough to isolate each adjacent pair of contacts within the wafer. Each shielding plate comprises a plurality of ribs extending outwardly from at least one of the two side surfaces. Each shielding plate is mounted between two adjacent wafers with each rib fitted within a corresponding slot to shield each adjacent pair of contact elements.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.